Thomas Eakins at Auction and at the National Gallery (Washington DC)

BIOGRAPHY

Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins was born in 1844 in Philadelphia, the first-born and only male of the four children of Benjamin Eakins and Caroline Cowperthwait. His father was a calligrapher and writing master, who supported his family in comfortable circumstances by his profession and through prudent investments. Eakins was raised in the family home at 1729 Mount Vernon Street and would live there for the rest of his life (it still stands). He graduated from the Central High School in Philadelphia and in 1862 began to take courses at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and attended anatomy lectures there and at the Jefferson Medical College. In 1866 he went to Paris, where he attended the École des Beaux-arts and studied with the French painters Jean-Léon Gérôme, who permanently influenced him, and Léon Bonnat and the sculptor Augustin Alexandre Dumont. Before returning to the United States he spent six months in Spain. He greatly admired Spanish painting, particularly the art of Velázquez, which would also be lastingly influential.

Eakins returned to Philadelphia in 1869, where he remained to the end of his life. He resumed his studies at the Jefferson Medical College, and in 1878 he began teaching at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he was appointed professor of Painting and drawing the next year. On January 19, 1884, he married Susan Hannah Macdowell, a student at the academy. In his teaching, Eakins was steadfast in his insistence on painting from the nude model. The controversy surrounding this practice led to his dismissal, with an aroma of scandal, from the professorship in 1886.

Eakins' fame is almost entirely posthumous. He was little known and admired in his native city--when John Singer Sargent visited Philadelphia in 1903 and was asked what artist he would like to meet, he said "There's Eakins, for instance." The reply was, "And who is Eakins."--and even less known outside it. Eakins died in Philadelphia in 1916, at the age of seventy-one. 

Sotheby's 2012

Thomas Eakins
1844 - 1916

PORTRAIT OF FRANCESCO ROMANO

LOT SOLD. 146,500

 Sotheby's 2010

Thomas Eakins

UNTITLED (PORTRAIT OF A GIRL IN PUFF SLEEVES)

LOT SOLD. 18,750


Bonhams 2012

Thomas Eakins (American, 1844-1916)
Portrait of Rebecca MacDowell (Mrs. J. Randolph Garrett), circa 1908
 20 1/4 x 16in
US$ 70,000 - 90,000

Christie's 2011

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) 

Study for "The Surrender of General Lee

Pr.$32,500

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)

Study for Portrait of the Very Reverend John J. Fedigan
 Pr.$10,625

 

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)

Portrait of Mrs. Joseph W. Drexel

Pr.$68,500

 

 Christie's 2010

THOMAS EAKINS (1844-1916)

STUDY FOR "THE ACTRESS"

PR.$100,900

THOMAS EAKINS (1844-1916)

CATHEDRAL OF SEVILLE

PR.$18,750




Christie’s 2009

THOMAS EAKINS (1844-1916)

ROBERT C. OGDEN

PR.$338,500

THOMAS EAKINS (1844-1916)

STUDY FOR "WILLIAM RUSH AND HIS MODEL"

PR.$122,500

 Christie’s 2008

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)

The Tree (Study for "Mending the Net")

Pr.$23,750

 

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)

Major Manuel Waldteufel

Pr.$289,000

Christie’s 2007

Thomas Eakins (1844-1916)

A Study of an Old Man

Pr.$78,000


National Gallery (Washington DC)

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

The Biglin Brothers Racing

1872

oil on canvas

overall: 61.2 x 91.6 cm (24 1/8 x 36 1/16 in.)

framed: 74.9 x 105.7 x 5.4 cm (29 1/2 x 41 5/8 x 2 1/8 in.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Baby at Play

1876

oil on canvas

overall: 81.9 x 122.8 cm (32 1/4 x 48 3/8 in.)

framed: 106.7 x 147.3 cm (42 x 58 in.)

John Hay Whitney Collection

1982.76.5

Eakins, Thomas 

American, 1844 - 1916

The Poleman in the Ma'sh

c. 1881

brown wash heightened with white over graphite and black chalk

overall: 28 x 15.1 cm (11 x 5 15/16 in.)

Julius S. Held Collection, Avalon Fund

1984.3.9

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

The Chaperone

c. 1908

oil on canvas

overall: 46.3 x 36.2 cm (18 1/4 x 14 1/4 in.)

framed: 63.5 x 53.3 x 8.3 cm (25 x 21 x 3 1/4 in.)

Gift of John Wilmerding, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art

1991.34.1

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Rear Admiral George W. Melville

1905

oil on canvas

overall: 101.6 x 68.5 cm (40 x 26 15/16 in.)

framed: 115.6 x 82.6 x 5.1 cm (45 1/2 x 32 1/2 x 2 in.)

Gift (Partial and Promised) of Senator and Mrs. H. John Heinz III, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art

1991.33.1

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Archbishop Diomede Falconio

1905

oil on canvas

overall: 183.2 x 137.7 cm (72 1/8 x 54 3/16 in.)

framed: 204.5 x 159.4 x 6 cm (80 1/2 x 62 3/4 x 2 3/8 in.)

Gift of Stephen C. Clark

1946.16.1

 

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Annie C. Lochrey Husson (Mrs. Louis Husson)

c. 1905

oil on canvas

overall: 61.1 x 50.9 cm (24 1/16 x 20 1/16 in.)

framed: 79.4 x 69.2 x 7 cm (31 1/4 x 27 1/4 x 2 3/4 in.)

Gift of Katharine Husson Horstick

1957.2.2

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Harriet Husson Carville (Mrs. James G. Carville)

1904

oil on canvas

overall: 51 x 40.7 cm (20 1/16 x 16 in.)

framed: 74.8 x 62.4 x 7 cm (29 7/16 x 24 9/16 x 2 3/4 in.)

Gift of Elizabeth O. Carville

1976.27

Eakins, Thomas

, American, 1844 - 1916

Louis Husson

1899

oil on canvas

overall: 61 x 50.9 cm (24 x 20 1/16 in.)

framed: 76.2 x 66 x 6.7 cm (30 x 26 x 2 5/8 in.)

Gift of Katharine Husson Horstick

1957.2.1